Washington County
Florida Supervisor of Elections

The Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles began issuing driver licenses and state ID cards that include four randomly generated numbers. This change was part of a new law designed to enhance security and prevent identity theft.

Beginning July 31, 2024, all Florida residents who renew their driver license are issued the new number.

The challenge for elections offices across the state is that a Florida driver license number is one of the ways voters are verified when they vote in person, by mail or submit a petition. 

What should voters do?

When renewing your driver license in person, select the option to update your voter record and have your new driver license information sent directly to your local elections office. When you select this option, your voter record will be updated with your new driver license number, and no further action is needed.

If you received a new Florida driver license after July 31, 2024 and did not opt to update your voter record at that time, it is strongly recommended that you update your voter record with your new driver license number. Visit the Update Voter Information section of our website for a complete list of options.

While in-person voting is unaffected by the change, Florida voters with a new driver license number who attempt to submit a vote-by-mail request online may encounter issues because the system will not recognize the new number. If this occurs, contact our office at 850-638-6230 for assistance. 

The bottom line

Over time, all Florida residents will be required to transition to the new driver license format. Even though the change will not prevent anyone from voting, it is a good reminder to routinely update your voter record whenever there is a change to your residential address, name, signature or driver license number.

If you have questions about how the new driver license format will affect the voting process, contact our office at 850-638-6230.